In perhaps the first legitimate sign that he’s getting ready to return to action, CB Casey Hayward was fully dressed and going through some drills in the Packers’ full-pads practice on Thursday.

CB Casey Hayward

Hayward already has been ruled out for this week, but the second-year corner and the team’s leading interceptor from last season might finally have a light at the end of the tunnel with his hamstring injury, which he originally hurt prior to training camp.

Hayward returned for three practices during the third week of the preseason but then re-aggravated it in that week’s game. He has been out the past six weeks, since the third preseason game.

“Casey Hayward worked some of the individual drills,” Head Coach Mike McCarthy said. “It’s really, frankly, part of his rehab training. He’s making progress.”

For the feature story on LB Clay Matthews’ recovery from his hamstring injury, click here.

WR Randall Cobb said he’s feeling better every day, and the plan is to have him test his injured ankle on Friday to see if he can play on Sunday in Minnesota. He’s not making any promises, but he’s giving himself a chance.

“I think it’s a possibility,” Cobb said on Thursday after he observed practice. “We’re going to take it day by day and see where we are on Sunday.”

Cobb is thankful to feel the way he does right now because he was admittedly worried when he was injured on a third-quarter punt return against Tennessee. He exited the field and went to the locker room under his own power, but he said that’s because of who was watching.

“I jogged off the field because my mom was there,” Cobb said. “My mom, I know she was crazy in the stands. That’s the only reason I jogged off the field.

“Sunday, I was hurting pretty bad. When I woke up Monday, I felt a lot better. Just trying to get better each day.”

Cobb is listed on the injury report with both ankle and knee injuries, but he said the ankle is the bigger issue.

Mike McCarthy said earlier this week he wasn’t pulling Cobb off of return duties despite the increased risk, and Cobb likes it that way.

“I love football, I love being on the field,” he said. “I think if I wasn’t on returns, it would take away form who I am and what I do.

“Statistically, it may show that (there’s greater injury risk on special teams), but this is a physical, dangerous game that we play. At any given time, your career could end.

“You can’t go out there and play scared. You’ve got to go out there and play ball, regardless of what play it is, if it’s special teams, offense or defense.”

Fellow WR Jordy Nelson, who has missed the last three games with a hamstring injury, was a full participant in Thursday’s full-pads practice and appears on track to return to the field.

“I’m not thinking about it,” Nelson said of his hamstring, which he has tweaked twice this season. “I don’t think you can. Going into it, you have to have the confidence that you’re ready to go. I have through he rehab I’ve done, the testing I’ve done, and obviously a week of practice. We’ve got one more day to continue to feel it out, and we’ll be ready to roll.”